In an interview with PWInsider, Matt Hardy discussed what idea was tossed around relating to him staying with WWE in the NXT brand, how money impacted his decision to leave, and more:
On what was considered for his role in NXT:
”It was kind of like a dual role. It was to maybe do something in NXT and be Broken Matt and maybe have some sort of stable there and help some guys. But still, my whole big thing was like for these last three or four years that I have left to do this, I want to be involved in a prominent role. I don’t want to be the champion. I don’t want to be undefeated. I want to help people along the way, but I still want to be utilized in a prominent way. I think Hunter had a vision of making that happen. There was talk of doing that and starting in a backstage role as a Producer; maybe even do some stuff creatively.
It would kind of be like a double role and I’d make a little more money. And that was the mindset behind that. It was kind of like, I really, I appreciate Hunter because I think he was really trying hard to keep me there. And really, I didn’t want to leave WWE. I wanted to stay with WWE. But if they didn’t have something for me creatively that I could do in the next three or four years, it was very important to me, just because I love it so much, that I’m maximizing the most of them the last few years.”
On the impact of money contributing to him leaving WWE:
“The money is still going to be greater outside; even with what I’m going to end up doing. Especially with the collaboration of events I’m going to be doing, but the one thing I want to say is that I love this. I mean, like the reason I got into this wasn’t to make $1 million. It’s because it was my dream and my passion and something I love. It’s like, I know physically I feel very good now and I know what I’m capable of, and I know how I have to be utilized in a certain way. It’s just, I have to get into an environment where I can be utilized like that.
The reason I just walked away is like, I know I can do more and sometimes with WWE, it’s a huge system. I have a great respect for it. It’s an enormous machine obviously, all across the world, but if you are kind of in Vince’s mind in a certain role, that’s where he’s going to keep you and you can’t get out of it. I want to get into an environment where I can kind of excel and do other things.”
On Vince McMahon being the main roadblock to the House of Hardy series:
“Yeah, well and too, I think there was just so much concern whenever I had left TV, whenever Bray and I had wrapped up [our storyline] and we were going to be off for a couple of months. They’ve been pitching to do specials, House Hardy, House Hardy, House Hardy. But then they said they couldn’t ever get a clear cut answer from Vince, or they couldn’t get a meeting with Vince. And then like, they’re saying, “Well if you come back as a different character then it’s going to be our ass and we don’t want to do that.” So that’s why that never came to be. I was just like, I went in to [Vince McMahon] see him and he was okay with it, but then they can never get confirmation on their own. It is such a big company, so many moving parts, and nobody wants to infuriate Vince.”
On AEW listening to diehard fans:
“I mean, they’re definitely listening to the diehard voice a lot more strongly than WWE is right now. And you kind of get that because the WWE is much more corporate, a much more globally stretching and sprawling company. But AEW, they’re doing a great job of keeping people guessing. They’ll lay something on the table, but then there’s so many different directions you could go and you’re not sure of it. And the Exalted One is another example of that, for instance. But I think with AEW, they’re really paying attention. They’re listening to the fans and they’re also doing the most important thing that I think you can do in wrestling in this day and age; be unpredictable. But when it’s all said and done, it makes sense, and that’s what’s very important because these fans, I think we’re serving two masters in this day and age.
You have the casual fans that watch something for like, okay, this is this guy and he has an issue with this guy and they’re fighting over it. And then eventually they’re going to end up having a match, whatever. And this is their characters, he’s good, he’s bad, whatever. And then there’s other guys that are more diehard fans that watch it and go, “Okay, well I know that Matt Hardy is this character and he is feuding right now with this Kenny Omega character. So hmm, what are they going to do? And I think they’ll produce a great match. No, they’re not going to do this.” And they’re over analyzing it because they’re looking at it from a booking standpoint, like these are two characters that someone is pulling the strings on. I think we’re serving kind of, both those masters, and I think AEW does a good job at walking the line and kind of serving both.”
